ICRC aids Aceh orphans, widows

LHOKSEUMAWE, Aceh: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) extended assistance to 1,113 children and 1,088 women who lost their fathers and husbands during the nine year military operation in Aceh that began in 1989.

The international body's representative here, Philippe Beauverd, presented school supplies and packages of essentials worth Rp 125,000 each in a ceremony in Sigli in the Pidie regency, on Friday. The recipients came from 11 districts in the regency.

Beauverd was quoted by Antara as saying the assistance reflected his organization's concern for the women and children during the economic crisis. Similar assistance has been given to 589 widows and 1,453 children in North Aceh and also will be given in East Aceh.

M. Nasir, an official in the Pidie administration, called on families of those who died during the military operation not to seek revenge. "Everything that has happened was a test from Allah," he said. "If you want too, pursue legal recourse (against parties that inflicted the violence)."

Yasir said some of the children have also received scholarships from Denmark through the Leuser International Foundation.

Nurma, a 48-year-old widow with 7 children, said "the struggle to keep afloat financially was nothing; what's eating at me is the government (has done nothing) to the perpetrators (of the violence)".

Mrs. Ismail, whose husband was killed in 1991, said, "What we want is for the government to punish the guilty."

Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto last August apologized for what he described as behavior by military personnel that "exceeded acceptable norms". He also lifted the military operations zone status from Aceh.

The National Commission of Human Rights has said that 781 people were killed during the military operations in Aceh while thousands of women lost their husbands.

In recent days there have been fresh outbreaks of violence which killed dozens of alleged members of the Free Aceh separatist movement and seven military personnel.

The outbreaks of violence in the oil-rich province were accompanied by growing calls from the Acehnese for justice. (swe)